With the presidential election less than eight weeks away, new polls show Sen. Barack Obama ahead of Sen. John McCain in Rhode Island 58 percent to 39 percent.
In a Rasmussen Reports poll released Wednesday, Obama's margin narrowed from June, when he had a 55 percent to 31 percent over McCain. A Taubman Center for Public Policy poll released in August also reflected the Democratic candidate's lead, with 51 percent of respondents for Obama and 30 percent for McCain.
The political Web site Real Clear Politics averaged Rasmussen, Brown, Rhode Island College and SurveyUSA polls from June 18 to September 13, placing Obama's lead at 22.7 percentage points.
Rhode Island voters have responded to Obama's vice presidential pick Sen. Joseph Biden, with a Rasmussen poll showing 47 percent think that Biden was the right choice.
The poll also shows Biden is viewed favorably by 62 percent of Rhody voters, while 44 percent of voters view McCain's running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, favorably. The poll also shows that Obama leads McCain by double digits in both the male and female demographics, and among those not affiliated with a party, Obama is ahead 51 percent to McCain's 44 percent.
National polls still illustrate a tight race, however, with a Gallup Daily Poll for Sept. 18 showing Obama with 48 percent of the popular vote, while McCain trailed by 4 points, at 44 percent.
Rhode Island has tended to vote for Democratic candidates in presidential elections, with former vice president Al Gore enjoying 61 percent of the vote in 2000, and Sen. John Kerry claiming a majority of 59.4 of the vote.
Since 1960, Rhode Island has given its electoral votes to Democrats in all but two presidential elections.
